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Islanders Wrap Up Mini-Camp

The Islanders broke Mini-Camp on Wednesday after spending the day working mostly on skating drills. Forwards, defensemen and goaltenders worked our separately, honing their skills before the team’s official Training Camp in September.

For No. 1 draft pick John Tavares, the Mini-Camp was a good first step in his career with the Islanders.

“It was a great experience,” Tavares said. “I learned a lot and I take a lot back with me to work on this summer. I’ll take the next couple of months to get ready for camp.”

For Islanders center Josh Bailey, having a year of NHL experience under his belt made his second Mini-Camp a very different experience from the first.

“It was a lot different,” Bailey said. “I felt a lot more comfortable and a lot more confident. I tried to take on a little more of a leadership role and to help guys along that haven’t been here before. But we all worked hard and it was a really good camp.”

The Islanders hosted 21 high school students from HempsteadWorks, which is a summer youth program for teen-agers from Roosevelt and Hempstead.

The students, who work at United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County—where they spend time doing activities with patients—watched practice and were given a private talk by Islanders Head Coach Scott Gordon. Gordon explained the importance of teamwork, leadership and of staying in school.